- April 26, 2024
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Elysha Petschauer is new to the position of executive director of the Ormond Beach Historical Society, but not new to Ormond Beach. Raised in the city, she went to Tomoka Elementary School and graduated from Seabreeze High School in 1988.
She has replaced Suzanne Heddy, who recently retired.
Petschauer said she was always interested in history, and would stop at historic sites when traveling with her parents as a child and always read the historical plaques.
“It’s all about the stories,” she said.
She was familiar with the “stories” of Ormond Beach, such as the Three Chimneys site. She was able to meet and talk with local historical authors Alice Strickland and Don Bostrum.
At Florida State University, she attained two degrees, one in museum studies and the other in fine arts. She said teachers at the college made history “come alive.”
Museum work became her livelihood, and fine art a pastime, as she still works with acrylics as a hobby.
After graduating, she worked at Halifax Historical Museum in Daytona Beach from 1996 to 2000. She set up children’s program, using art to help explain history.
Raising her children, she said she always took them to museums, to share her enthusiasm for history.
“Every museum is different,” she said.
After that, she was historical preservation officer for the city of DeLand. If someone wanted to remodel a historic house, she would determine if the changes met state and local codes for historic structures. If not, they would require review and approval by a board.
Her background in museums will likely serve her well, as the society has a goal of setting up a museum for area history, preferably in the city-owned MacDonald House.
“The MacDonald House has an important place between The Casements and the art museum,” Petschauer said.
A museum would be an asset to the community, she said, because when people go on vacation, they look for the culture and history of the community.
She believes a local museum would grow organically and encourage people to donated artifacts when they saw there was a safe place where they could be enjoyed by others. Also, there are artifacts now stored at the Anderson-Price building which could be displayed.
The popular bus tours and events at the Historic Anderson-Price Building, which is owned by the society and rented out for events, will continue.
